


Time and Shenanigans

by Nadat



Category: Doctor Who, Dragon Age
Genre: Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-10
Updated: 2012-07-16
Packaged: 2017-11-09 13:37:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/456047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nadat/pseuds/Nadat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor and Donna wind up in 9:37 Dragon and meet another man who travels with companions.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Wrong Year

**Author's Note:**

> Fill for a Kinkmeme Prompt - Dr. Who and DA2 crossover: Any Doctor, no smut needed, Isabela attempting to seduce the Doctor, rogue!Hawke swiping the TARDIS key, Anders thinks the sonic screwdriver is the key to mage freedom. Edited from the fill so as to fix the errors I only saw after posting.

“That was a dragon flying overhead.” Donna’s voice was decidedly unimpressed, and she was proud of herself. It was one thing to face fat with no fear. It was quite another to keep her voice level and not shaky at all when dragons were involved.

“Nonsense. There aren’t dragons. We’re in 1937, for the coronation of George the VI. Not really an exciting king, as kings go, but a good enough fellow. There’s not going to be dragons.” As usual the Doctor was grinning as he looked around, turning and taking in the sights.

“I know what I saw and I saw a dragon.”

Maybe it was the insistence in her voice, but he finally looked up, searching the skies. “If it was a dragon and it comes back, speak up.”

“But what would it mean, if there were dragons here?”

The Doctor’s eyes sparkled. “I dunno! Guess we’d have to find out! Come on, Donna! This way!” As cheerfully as ever he headed down the path toward a mountain. She shook her head and caught up, but they’d only gone a few steps when he held out an arm, stopping her. “Hold on. Did you hear that?”

She tilted her head, trying to hear anything. “No, what?”

He frowned, waiting. “It was some sort of hissing…”

“Like a snake?”

“No. More like spiders. But really really big ones.”

Donna gave him her best Look. “Now there, mister. I wasn’t joking about the dragon. You can’t fool me by joking about giant spiders. I wasn’t born yesterday.”

The Doctor grinned again. “You weren’t. Because yesterday here was still 1937, and you’re not even _nearly_ sixty yet.”

“Oi! I’m barely forty! Don’t go pulling that!” Donna put her hands on her hips and was about to set him straight on age when she heard it too, the hissing, and took a step back. Apparently that was all the provocation three spiders needed, for spiders they were, _and_ giant. Donna grabbed the nearest weapon at hand (a rock) and flung it at the closest spider. When that didn’t work, she bolted for a barrel off to the side. Maybe something in there would help. “A scarf? With holes in it? Who puts a scarf with holes in it in a barrel where people might need something?”

“A little help, Donna?” 

She didn’t even turn around, tossing the scarf off to the side. She could hear the sonic screwdriver going and had faith in whatever he was up to. There was something else in the barrel and she reached in. Trousers. Threadbare trousers, at that. “Really? They couldn’t store anything useful? A scarf and a pair of trousers? That’s just not right!”

“Donna?” The Doctor’s voice sounded a bit more urgent, and when she looked she saw that the three spiders had multiplied into six. 

At least she had a barrel. Dropping the trousers, Donna grabbed the barrel and charged, hitting the spider currently threatening the Doctor’s well-being right on the head. The barrel shattered, but it gave her two nice lengths of wood to wield. Far better than trousers. 

“Take that!”

“There we go! That’s all we needed!” The Doctor reached for his own stick, but before he could get it a wave of ice hit the spiders and they froze in place. A tough-looking woman charged into the middle of them, red braid flowing behind her, and a man with blood smeared over his nose was at her side, slashing with his daggers. Another woman appeared to Donna’s left, startling her, and took on the spider nearest the Doctor with her own daggers. Finally, a blond man stepped into view, hurtling ice and fire with ease and answering the question she hadn’t yet managed to ask of why the spiders froze.

The battle was over far more quickly than Donna expected. “Who are you, then?” 

“We might ask the same of you,” the dark-haired man said. “We did save you, after all.”

“Come off it, Hawke,” said the redhead. “They’re travelers, and it’s important to keep the paths safe anyway. Knight-Captain of the Guard, Aveline.” She didn’t hold out her hand, but she sounded decent enough. 

Donna decided she liked Aveline. “Donna Noble. No title. Just Donna.”

“The Doctor.” He smiled, sticking his hands in his pockets. 

The magician’s gaze had followed those hands. “The Doctor? Leeches, catgut, that sort of thing? What is it that you tucked into your pocket?”

“Leeches and catgut?” Donna shook her head. “1937. We’re a bit beyond that mess.”

“You mean 937, sweet thing.” It was the dark-haired woman, and she was checking out the Doctor with clear interest. …For that matter, so was the magician. Or maybe he still wanted to know what the screwdriver was about.

“937? That’s not right. That can’t be right. We were supposed to be in London… No, hang on.” He looked around as if seeing the place for the first time. “937 _Dragon?_ Is that what you mean?”

The blood-smeared man, Hawke, he’d been called, nodded.

“Hah!” Donna smirked. “I told you I saw a dragon!”

“And you’re Hawke,” the Doctor said, eyes narrowing. “Hawke, the Champion of Kirkwall. Which means… Oh! Yes! You’re Aveline, Isabela, and Anders! Oh, this is perfect! This is brilliant!”

None of the four looked half as excited as the Doctor for being able to name them. The magician was the first to shrug. “At least he used my name and not ‘the abomination’ or ‘that apostate.’ I’ll take what I can get.”

“Will you now, Anders?” The dark-haired woman was smirking, hand playing with the end of a blue scarf.

“I’m not lacking there,” Anders replied, smirking right back. 

Donna rolled her eyes. “Men.”

“She started it,” the Doctor protested, pointing at the woman.

“Sure, blame her, when—“

“If we’re done here, and you both are all right, we need to move on. We took care of the dragon, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t more. Let’s get you back to Kirkwall.” Hawke gave both Donna and the Doctor kind smiles before moving forward, brushing against the Doctor for just a moment as he took the lead.

Donna glanced at the others. Anders shrugged and fell in behind Hawke, the Doctor joined, and before Donna could follow him the woman that could only be Isabela slipped behind him with a grin. Aveline shrugged when Donna looked to her to find out what was going on there. Donna just shook her head and followed as well, with Aveline bringing up the rear.


	2. Don't Think of Elephants

The city wasn’t that impressive, to Donna’s eyes, but it also wasn’t bad. The walls seemed the sturdy sort, but she supposed you needed them sturdy, when there were dragons about.

“This is the city. Good luck. If you’ll excuse me, Hawke, I need to speak with my men and assure them the dragon was dealt with.” Aveline nodded to the group and departed.

Donna stared after her. “Wait. You lot _dealt with_ a dragon?”

The magician gave her a quick smile. It softened his face surprisingly. “In the time it took you to fail to deal with three spiders.” Then the smile was gone, and there was sadness in his eyes. Donna didn’t know what to think of the change. “Now, if you’ll excuse me as well, Hawke, I need to get the drakestone down to the clinic. …Come by later? I’d like to speak with you.” He waited long enough to get Hawke’s nod before departing, shooting the Doctor’s pockets a last curious look.

“Well,” said Hawke, shifting from foot to foot.

“Well,” said the Doctor, beaming as he looked around the city.

“Well,” said Isabela as she slid an arm around one of the Doctor’s.

“Well what?” Donna shrugged when everyone looked at her. “I didn’t mean to break up what you had going on, I’m sure it was lovely, but that was a lot of well and no one actually saying anything.”

“I don’t know. I think Isabela’s saying something.” Hawke was clearly trying to fight a smile and losing. 

Isabela rolled her eyes. “I’m saying nothing.”

“So, Isabela, the great pirate, is saying nothing?” The Doctor seemed to not care at all about Isabela’s arm.

“I see the story is spreading.” The deep voice came from behind the group, and Donna turned to see a very short man. “The great pirate Isabela, companion to the great Champion of Kirkwall. I’ve been working on polishing it up, but some are hard to come up with ‘greats’ for.” 

“I’d say I’d like to hear what you’ve been saying, Varric, but I really don’t want to know.” Hawke seemed relaxed, as if he’d forgotten there were strangers right there. Oddly enough, Donna got the impression that this group wasn’t entirely unused to strangers hanging out with them. No one had challenged their tagging along, Isabela was… making the Doctor welcome, at least, and even the newcomer hadn’t looked askance at them. The newcomer who she so wasn’t going to call a Dwarf, even mentally, because that was of course rude. Except she just had. That was the last time. She wouldn’t do it again.

“Now, Hawke, how could you think I’d have anything bad to say about you?” Varric’s smile was pure innocence, and so Donna didn’t trust it at all. “Who are the new friends?”

“We saved them from spiders near the Bone Pit,” Isabela replied. “They followed us home. Can I keep him?” Her eyes sparkled, and even though she was clearly flirting with the Doctor, Donna wasn’t too worried. It all felt too relaxed to be serious or directed. 

She had to make one thing clear, though. “Oi, where he goes I go. You’re not taking my friend anywhere.”

Isabela looked at her. There was no challenge in it, just consideration. “Just friend, right?”

“Just mates, yeah,” the Doctor said.

There was a pause as the three from the city gave each other confused glances.

“No, no, he means friends,” Donna hastily added. “It confused me when he used that word at first too. Mates, it means friends.”

Slowly a smirk grew on Isabela’s face. “Now that’s my kind of friend.” Varric was grinning as well, and Hawke looked pretty amused. 

“I’ll leave you to it,” Hawke said. “I need to speak to a man over there about my mine.” He nodded in the direction of a shopkeeper and had enough time to take a step forward before an Elf came into view, spotting the group and heading over. Or, Donna was guessing he was an Elf. The pointed ears suggested it, and she couldn’t help but stare at his markings. They caught the light, somehow.

“Hawke.” The Elf almost seemed to brood. No, he _was_ brooding. And on a beautiful day like this. 

“Fenris. Is something the matter?” Hawke actually looked a little concerned.

“Yes.”

Everyone waited for Fenris to continue. They kept waiting for a few more seconds. Finally Fenris shrugged. “I must speak with you.”

“I guessed that.” Now Hawke was smiling again, though faintly. “Let’s step to the side.”

They did, and Donna watched them, wishing she could eavesdrop. By the time she tore her attention away from them, Isabela had lead the Doctor off a few steps in the other direction, and Varric was giving her a scrutinizing look. 

“So, not from around here, then?” His tone was casual, but Donna was always wondering when they were going to wind up scaring the natives and being run out of town for being witches or something.

“Whatever gave you that idea?” She wasn’t about to give any information up.

“Not a whole lot, just a few things. Like the way you were outside the city but not able to deal with the spiders. The way you keep looking at the city as if seeing it for the first time. The only thing that doesn’t fit is him knowing names and exclaiming over them. Maybe you’re tourists. But I don’t think many places care about Kirkwall. We’re one city. A city with a lot of potential, but just one city.”

“And gardens. Don’t forget to mention the gardens.” While Varric had been speaking, another Elf came up behind Donna. She was slender and gave the impression of being frail and tough at the very same time. “I like the shops in Lowtown in particular. It’s a good market. Not that I really know markets. But I like them. Hello! I’m Merrill.” She smiled at Donna, and Donna couldn’t help but smile back.

“Donna. Donna Noble. And we travel, the Doctor and I.”

“The Doctor. Is that his name.” Varric looked over at Isabela and the Doctor for a moment, brow furrowing.

“Doctor what? Or should I say Doctor who? I don’t really know which is the right one, but surely he has more of a name? I mean, Hawke’s the Champion, but he’s still Hawke.” Normally Donna didn’t like it when someone rambled, but the way Merrill did it was almost soothing.

“That’s his name, Doctor,” Donna answered. She didn’t particularly like the way Varric was looking over there, but she didn’t have time to think of what to say before Hawke and Fenris were coming back over.

“If you’ll excuse us, Donna, Doctor. We have something that needs seeing too. Varric, can you go get Anders?”

“Anders.” Fenris’ voice was flat.

Hawke gave him an equally flat look. “It’s important to you, and if we’re walking into a possible blood mage trap I want him with us.”

“Get Blondie for something for Broody. Sounds like a great plan.” With a smirk the Dwarf headed off, and Donna realized she was still thinking of him as a Dwarf. 

“I’m a mage too,” Merrill said quietly.

“You are, and a very good one. Bethany always talked about your skill,” Hawke assured her. “But he can heal, and for this…”

Merrill’s face brightened back up at the mention of Bethany. “She did? I didn’t know that! I understand. I’ll be in Lowtown if you need me, at my house or the stalls. I needed to buy new boots anyway. Mine are getting worn. They weren’t made for city streets.” With a cheerful nod at the group Merrill headed off, basically skipping over to the stairs. 

The gaze of a few armored men followed Merrill, and Isabela let go of the Doctor’s arm. “I’m going to go make certain Kitten gets a chance to buy. I’ll see you later, Doctor.” She gave him a wink, gave Hawke a wave, and was off.

Hawke nodded to both the Doctor and Donna. “Until next time.” His voice made it sound a formality, like it was something he said to a lot of people but then there was never a next time. That was almost sad, Donna thought.

“Until next time,” the Doctor said. He was smiling, and his voice made it clear he planned on running into Hawke. A lot. Then he was taking Donna’s arm and guiding her toward a different staircase, this one going down.

“Where are we going now? You know them?”

“I know of them. I know their story. Donna, do you have any idea where we are?”

“Not at the coronation.”

The Doctor laughed. “No, no. We’re… well, we’re nowhere near that. Miscalculation, tiny error, it happens. But this… We’re on the brink of the beginning of a war, the greatest war in the history of Thedas. The war for mage rights, Donna, when the oppressed rose up, and oh! We can see it all! Did you hear? Drakestone!”

“Drakestone. Of course. Yes, I see it now.” Her tone was dry. She knew she’d get an explanation eventually, and she did like the Doctor’s enthusiasm, but sometimes she had to remind him that she was in the dark.

“It’ll get more clear later. Come on. We have to get to the Hanged Man.”

“That sounds unpleasant.” She kept her pace hasty, though. Clearly he was looking forward to something.

“It’s a pub. The pub, really, the best one in Kirkwall. And Fenris is about to meet his sister. He has to be. He came out of his mansion to see Hawke, they’re talking about a blood mage trap, this is perfect. You’ll get to see them in action, and I’ll get to see them in action.”

“I don’t like the sound of blood mage trap.” She had faith in the Doctor to get her home safe, eventually, but that really didn’t sound good.

“No one does. Or should.” They kept making their way down the streets until they stopped in front of a building that was rather nondescript except for the upside-down dangling statue of a man in armor. “Here we are. Now keep your head down, and let’s find a corner. And don’t stare at the Elf in the center of the room.”

“That never works. Don’t think about elephants, someone says, and then everyone’s thinking about elephants. Don’t look there, and suddenly I want to look there.” She followed him into a darker corner anyway. “Now what?”

“Now we wait.”

They didn’t have to wait long. Hawke, Anders, and Varric entered the pub, taking seats at a side table. A short time later Fenris came in and started speaking with the female Elf.

“Is that his sister?” Donna kept watching. Surely she could stare now.

“It is. But he doesn’t remember her. And… any time now…” There was the sound of footsteps and drawn swords, and a rather smug-looking man sauntered into view. Donna couldn’t hear what was being said over the music and mutters of other now-onlookers, but a decision seemed to be reached. Hawke and Fenris were moving forward, sword and daggers flashing in the dim smoky light. Anders and Varric had fallen back, Varric firing his crossbow and shouting something about a Bianca while Anders continued casting. It was over in a matter of minutes, or at least the main bit of it was. Then Fenris was actually glowing, there was no doubt left there, and he seemed to rip through the smug man before turning on his sister. Donna tensed, nervous and feeling a little sick to her stomach. Hawke stepped forward and spoke with Fenris. The Elf was clearly still angry, but he stepped back. His sister left.

“…That was what we came to see?” Donna gave the Doctor a confused look.

“That was what we came to see. A former slave standing up to his former master, and maybe getting the beginning foundation of a new life. Oh, Donna. These people, this little party… I’ll tell you their whole story later. Their beautiful, painful story. Or maybe we can get Varric to do it. For now, watch. Watch and see how a world is transformed by eight little lives. …Nine if you count the dog. I never really do. I don’t think Anders does either.” There was a smile on his face as if he was laughing at a private joke. Donna let him do it.

“I’m watching. I’m also watching Isabela take quite the shine to you.”

The Doctor grinned. “She’s the friendly sort, Isabela is. Not to be confused with the weak sort, or anything of the kind. I’m not really her type, but why not let her flirt? But for now, let’s have a drink or two. I hear this place has really bad drinks. I’ve never tried a really bad drink before.”


	3. Misplaced

“That _was_ bad. Really bad.” The flavor was still in her mouth, and Donna just wanted a cup of very clean water to wash it out with.

The Doctor laughed as they headed back to the TARDIS. “It’s the experience! The whole Kirkwall… charm.”

“Dirt and bad beer? I wouldn’t even call that beer. It wouldn’t know a grain of wheat if the grain drowned in it. When we get back I’ll take you to a real pub, for real drinks. Good drinks.” As much as she didn’t like the taste, Donna was still having fun. It had been a while since they went somewhere and just watched, weren’t attacked, didn’t get swept up into everything. She liked that. It was almost like a vacation. Minus any sort of spa.

“Donna, Donna, Donna.” He reached into his jacket pocket as they kept walking, nearing the door, and froze. Then he checked the other jacket pocket. The Doctor quickly patted his pants before turning to Donna. “I don’t suppose you have the spare key.”

“…You lost the TARDIS key?”

“I didn’t lose it, it’s somewhere, but I don’t exactly have it on me. That’s all.”

Donna shook her head. “Men. You’d forget your own heads if they weren’t attached…” She went to reach into her own pocket and stopped. “It’s in my other jacket. The one in the TARDIS. How…”

The Doctor sighed. “Not to worry, we’ll find it.”

“Where? On the path with the spiders? Where there might be more later, Aveline said, which is why we followed them to the city. In the city? We were all over Kirkwall. The market, the stairs, the pub…”

“I didn’t drop it. I wouldn’t have dropped it.”

“So what? It jumped out? Ran away?”

“Isabela.”

“…Isabela?”

“She’s a rogue. They steal things. And she was draped all over my arm. We just have to go get it back, probably at the cost of a kiss.”

Donna sighed. “Then let’s go. I’d like a proper bath tonight.” They’d gone a few steps back toward the city before she stopped. “You checked your left-hand jacket pocket.”

“Yes. So?”

“Isabela was on your right.”

There was silence for a moment, and then the Doctor blinked. “Hawke bumped into me.”

“Hawke?”

“He stole the key. Oh, this could be bad.”

“Bad how? He’s not going to figure out how to use the TARDIS, or even what it is. I doubt he’d know how to turn on a television.”

“Not Hawke, no. He’s smart, but not that smart.”

They resumed walking. Donna gave him a confused look. “Then who?”

“Varric. Smart fellow. Very smart. Maybe a match for some I’ve known. If Hawke gives him the key, he might be able to figure it out.”

“The TARDIS. A Dwarf—oh, I have _got_ to stop calling him that. Varric who uses a crossbow?”

“That’s what he is. A Dwarf. And Merrill and Fenris are Elves. Don’t let the crossbow fool you, Donna. Varric’s got quite a mind on him. And all he needs to do is get in and push some buttons, and we’re stranded. We don’t have to worry about him changing history, though I doubt he’d even try, he’s not that sort. But he could find a way to turn her on, and then we’re in trouble.” They reached the city and the Doctor stopped again. “Hanged Man first. Then…Then we keep trying to look if he’s not there.”

“Doesn’t he have a house?” It was something of a relief for her to be able to think of him as a Dwarf without it being bad, truth be told.

“An estate, actually, the Tethras estate, but I’m not sure if it’s been exorcised yet. We’ll check there second.”

Varric wasn’t at the Hanged Man, though Isabela was and they got to hear several dirty limericks that Donna would have enjoyed if she wasn’t worried about getting back into the TARDIS. He also wasn’t at the Tethras estate. 

“Think, think, think. Where would he be, at night, in 9:37?” The Doctor paced in front of the estate while Donna watched some of the nearby shadows move in a way that was a bit worrying.

“I don’t suppose he hides in bushes?”

“Varric? No. Not as far as I know.” He stopped pacing and looked over at her. “Why?”

“No reason. Except, don’t look now, but there are some people in the bushes over there.”

The Doctor kept looking at her, grimacing. “You’re right. Telling someone not to look makes them want to look even more. People in bushes, though. That’s not a good thing. Kirkwall’s not safe after dark.”

“Now you tell me? If it’s not safe after dark why are we wandering around the place then? Shouldn’t we have, oh, I don’t know, seen if there were any rooms in the Hanged Man that didn’t have rats? Or asked Isabela for recommendations?”

“Isabela’s recommendations would have included her bed, and while she’s a lovely woman I’m just not looking for that. Are you sure there are people in the bushes?”

Donna frowned, trying to look without looking. Sure enough, there were shapes there, and one of them had something metal that reflected the moonlight. “I’m sure.”

“We’re going to attempt a very technical maneuver, then. Listen closely.” He leaned in. “When I say run, run.”

“Very technical. Down the stairs?”

“Actually, up them would… wait. Drakestone. No, run down. We’re not going toward the Chantry. I don’t know what’s happening right now; Hawke could be speaking with the Grand Cleric. I’d rather not risk it.”

“Risk it?”

“Ready?”

“That didn’t answer my question, Doctor.”

“Later. You’ll see, Donna. As this unfolds, you’ll see.”

She sighed. “Ready.”

He gave her a tight smile. “Run.”

They ran. Donna always thought that one day she’d get used to running, but she never did. The adrenaline was fun for a few moments, but it died away all too soon and she remembered her age, and that she really didn’t like running, but then fear always kicked in and she got to remember all of the times when they’d run from something else about to kill them, or destroy them, or change time, or whatever it wanted to do.

There was pursuit. Donna could hear it, the clatter of weapons, the scuffle of boots, the rush as a fireball went past her he—a **fireball** went past her **head.**

Donna stopped, whirling on the group following them. They stopped as well, possibly surprised.

“Did you throw fire at me? You threw fire! At my head! Who even does that? That’s not on. What do you people even want? We don’t have money, we don’t have food. We don’t even have the key to where we were staying. Go away. Shoo! There’s nothing of value here, and I’m not happy about someone throwing a fireball at my head for a lark!”

Judging by the expressions on the faces of the group, no one had ever scolded them before. They were shocked silent. It wasn’t going to last, though, and Donna knew it. 

“Right. That’s settled then? Good.” She turned and bolted again, easily catching up to the Doctor who had stopped and turned as soon as she’d started yelling. They darted down a staircase, around a turn, down another staircase… “How many staircases are there in this city?” Another fireball flew past, and this time a few arrows clattered behind them as well. Something got hit with fire; Donna heard a soft noise of impact.

“Oh, four-hundred and thirty-two. And a half, because there’s one that’s only two steps and no one knows if it should count.”

“What, really?” It was hard to yell and run at the same time, but Donna had practice. She could manage, even through the pain that was building in her side. 

“No, not really. I have no idea at all.” He wasn’t out of breath. Sometimes Donna hated the Doctor. 

They went down yet another staircase and were suddenly underground. “Doctor?”

“Trust me, there’s a place we can hide down here. If we can make it.” He led her around a couple of corners, down again, up again, and then to two large, closed doors. 

Donna bent over, panting, trying to catch her breath. Her side was burning. The Doctor frowned. “The lantern’s not on.”

“…So?”

“It means he’s not… Doesn’t matter. They could catch up any moment.” He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and turned it on, aiming it at one of the locks. That was when someone moved off to the side and extended a staff, bumping the screwdriver out of his hand.

“What, exactly, are you aiming at my clinic?” Anders was already kneeling, picking up the sonic device and frowning at it.

“Ah. That… It’s for opening doors. It’s a door opener.” The Doctor watched him, clearly trying not to make faces as the magician handled it. “Can I have it back now?”

“It makes a noise, but I don’t see how, and it’s not magic.” Anders turned it over in his hands.

“Whatcha got there, Blondie?” Varric came into view, blood-spattered and looking a little worse for wear.

“Something he was using on my doors. What happened to you? Where’s Hawke?”

“Group of people at the entrance to Darktown. Seems they chased a pair from Hightown, through Low, and to here, but weren’t sure if it was worth the effort to keep following. Hawke… and Fenris, who you forgot to mention, are coming along.” Varric grinned as he looked at both the Doctor and Donna. “I don’t suppose that seems familiar? The group, not him trying to leave Fenris out of everything.”

“I don’t know. I don’t care.” Donna was getting rather annoyed and she knew it was that everything was starting to hurt now, not just her side. It wasn’t the Dwarf’s fault. She just needed to sit down. Really, really needed to sit down. Everyone was frowning at her, as if she was supposed to be Miss Manners when she’d just run so far. There was nothing to sit on, but she decided she didn’t care and took a seat on the ground. Or tried to, she only managed to get halfway down before her legs gave out. 

“Donna!” The Doctor caught her, supporting her head.

“I’m fine, just slipped, that’s all.”

“She’s burned. Her side, hit with a fire spell, by the looks of it. Bring her in.” Anders pocketed the screwdriver as he grabbed a key and unlocked the large door, holding it open. The Doctor carried her in.

Donna was not happy about this turn of events. “I’m no damsel in distress. Put me down. I’m fine.”

“On the cot there, please. It’s clean.” Anders pointed, setting his staff against a pillar and out of the way before coming over to where the Doctor was setting Donna down.

“Oh no, I’m not being treated here. You listen here, Mister.” Donna raised an arm on her good side and pointed a finger directly at Anders. “I don’t care what you think you can do with your flashy freezing things and throwing fire too, but if you think I’m going to let you do anything to me you have another think coming.”

“Donna,” the Doctor tried to interrupt.

“No. He’s not going to touch me.”

“I don’t have to,” Anders replied, smirking just a little. His hands started to glow and Donna yelped.

“Donna,” the Doctor said a little more sternly.

“He throws fire! You can’t really fight fire with fire! What happens if—“

Anders was moving his hands and the pain was already fading, leaving, like water pouring into a storm drain. 

“Oh,” was all Donna said.

In a matter of moments he was done, smirk firmly in place. “That’s called Creation magic, and it’s rather different from Elemental, I promise. I’m a healer. You two were breaking into my clinic, where I heal people. Or you were trying to.”

“Funny how it didn’t occur to her that you, as a mage, could heal,” Varric said from the doorway. 

“How many have gotten healed by a mage in their lifetime?” Anders walked away, scooping up his staff and strapping it to his back again. His voice was annoyed. “We’re kept sequestered, our talents wasted. It’s no wonder she was afraid. After all, I could have simply meant to kill her. That’s what mages do. They terrorize the public, destroy small villages, eat children, use virgins for our spells, dance naked while juggling kittens…”

“And here I thought you just used virgins for fun.” Hawke came into the clinic, shaking his head. “What set him off this time?”

“I was observing something. Blondie took it the wrong way.”

“I’m right here, you know.” He was washing his hands in a basin, back to the group.

“Unfortunately.” Fenris came in as well. He looked over at Donna and the Doctor. “Them again? Are they your new acquisitions?”

“None of you are acquisitions,” Hawke said, rolling his eyes. “It’s hardly my fault I have a magnetic personality and you all stick around.”

“I could leave.” Varric made no move to do so, leaning against one of the walls.

“It would break my heart,” Hawke said. “I’d cry into my pillow every night. Sob. Soak through dozens of them with my tears.” 

“I hear that often.” Varric was smirking.

“The sarcasm is rich in the room.” The Doctor looked unimpressed. “As is the amount of things missing from my pockets. Like a certain key. And my screwdriver. I’d like them back, please.”

Anders pulled the screwdriver out of his pocket. “Which is this?”

“The latter. And still mine.” The Doctor held out his hand.

Instead of handing it over, Anders kept looking at it. “What does it do? Aside from seemingly pick locks, since that’s what you were trying to do with it.”

“It unlocks things. That’s all.”

“You had it out when you were fighting the spiders.” Aveline’s voice. She stepped through the doorway, joining them. “Sorry to bother whatever’s going on, but I need your help tomorrow and I thought I’d try to find you now.”

“He did have it out,” Hawke said, nodding to Aveline. “Where and when?”

“We’ll be taking a quick trip to the Wounded Coast, leaving early in the morning.”

“Did the three goats not work?” Isabela joined them, grinning. Merrill was close behind her.

“Good, everyone.” That almost sounded a little sarcastic, but Donna didn’t know Aveline enough to say. “Whomever wishes to come can. It’s for the city, so there will be pay.”

“You don’t have to—“ Hawke began.

“Yes she does,” Isabela replied. “She especially needs to pay Anders. He lost at cards again last night.”

“You cheated,” Merrill said. “He proved it.”

“I always cheat, Kitten. If he can’t cheat back and beat me, he shouldn’t gamble.”

“We’re getting away from my point.” The Doctor’s voice was silk over steel. “The screwdriver, please.”

“Funny thing, screwdrivers.” Varric looked at his crossbow as he talked, not at anyone. His voice was calm, conversational. “They’re not common around here. Not ones that make sounds. But I heard a story about one. Seems that there was a beacon that needed to be lit, but the door to a tower was jammed. Two Grey Wardens were struggling to break into their tower when a man with a noisy screwdriver ran up, waved it, and the door opened. He wished them luck. Later he showed up when they needed to make a ballista work. He waved it again. It worked. Probably saved their lives, both times, even if the beacon didn’t call the allies it was meant to.” Varric paused, now looking up. “Want to know what he called himself?”

“Helpful, in the right place at the right time, busy?” The Doctor’s expression was a strange blend of cheerful and wary.

“Hang on.” Anders was looking from Varric to the Doctor and back. “No, I’ve heard this one.”

“Yes, I imagine you did, as you knew one of those Wardens.” Varric looked rather self-satisfied.

“Ostagar. You were at Ostagar.” Anders’ voice was hushed.

“I travel. I’m a traveler. I’m sure Donna told you. Now can I please get that back?”

The very full room was silent. Most were just staring at the Doctor, but Anders was looking at the screwdriver as if seeing hope for the first time in a long time. “Unlocks things. What if there were a great many people who just needed to be… unlocked?”

“That would be a disaster.” Fenris strode over, grabbed the screwdriver out of Anders’ hands before he could react, and held it out to the Doctor. “Take it. Keep it and your secrets, and don’t open up a can of worms it’s better to have shut.”

“You have no right—“ Anders began, sounding furious.

Hawke stepped between them. “Easy. One screwdriver, no matter how noisy, is not going to fix the mages’ problems, Anders. Take the screwdriver, Doctor. Rest in the clinic for now, it looks like your traveling companion had been injured. Anders, we’re taking a walk.”

The Doctor took back the sonic screwdriver, and Donna felt some relief. She hadn’t realized how tense she’d been since the conversation on it started. “We’ll rest here for now,” he said. 

Hawke and Anders left, Anders still shooting glances back at the Doctor. The others drifted out, all except Varric, who relaxed in a chair that had seen far better days. “Sleep tight,” he said. “Probably better to stay here overnight anyway. Don’t want another group coming after you.”

The Doctor nodded, still looking a bit wary. “We’ll stay here tonight, and in the morning we’ll… He still has my key.”

“We forgot it.” Donna shook her head. “All that, all this! And we forgot that.”

He chuckled quietly. “We’ll get that after they get back from the Wounded Coast.”

“I should hope so.” Donna leaned back on the cot, looking up at the high ceiling. “What was Ostagar?”

“I’ll tell you another time. Sleep well, Donna.”


	4. The Day Of

Donna didn’t actually sleep all that well, but it was mostly because of the cot and partly because there was a Dwarf near the door with a crossbow who knew a bit of who the Doctor was. Several hours later, as Donna was dozing, someone came into the clinic. She half-opened her eyes to see Anders bracing the doors open and lighting the lantern outside the door with care.

“Not going to the Coast?” Varric’s voice was quiet, as if trying to still let them sleep. Donna appreciated that, though it would have been a lot better if he’d stopped caressing his crossbow last night.

“Merrill wanted to go, and I wasn’t here most of yesterday. Aveline decided a small group would work better for not drawing too much attention.” Anders was staying equally as quiet as he straightened cots and pulled bottles out of cabinets. He emptied the water basin and re-filled it from a covered pitcher. 

“You’re never going to get out of debt with Isabela.” 

Anders gave Varric a wide smile, though it looked a bit tired. “Probably not. But I think she likes it like that.”

“Kinky.”

“She always has been.” 

Varric chuckled, but sobered up after a moment. “Your pillow’s not down here.”

“Hm?” Anders looked up from the herbs he’d been selecting.

“Your pillow. The one you tried to give me, Blondie.”

“It’s still here. It’s right…” Anders left the herbs, pulling back the curtain at the rear of the clinic and stopping. The smile vanished and then was back just as quickly, strained now. “I can’t seem to remember where I put it. I’m sure it will turn up.”

“The vial of sela petrae’s gone too.” Varric’s voice was careful. Donna felt bad for eavesdropping; something was going on and she didn’t understand it, and it felt private, personal.

“Yes, that. I used it.” Anders wasn’t even looking at Varric as he went back to the herbs.

There was silence in the clinic, stretching, tense, painful. The Doctor finally broke it after a few minutes, shifting around as if waking and sitting up, looking around. “What time is it?”

“Late. But not too late, I hope.” Varric’s voice was heavy. Anders didn’t turn around, mixing something together in a bottle and stirring it up.

The Doctor nodded, getting off the cot and brushing himself off before folding the blanket he’d used. “Hawke back yet?”

Anders now looked over. “What do you want with him?”

“With him? Nothing in particular. I just want what he pickpocketed from me the other day.”

“The key you mentioned?” Anders went back to mixing.

“The key I mentioned. Donna, are you awake?”

“No. Stop talking. I want to be not awake longer.”

Varric chuckled, a bit of his good humor coming back. “It’s daylight in Darktown now, but you’d never know it. I can walk you two back up to Lowtown if you’d like, make sure you make it safely.”

“That’d be appreciated, but I need to get my key, and he’ll likely head here, won’t he?”

Anders stoppered a bottle as he shook his head. “I haven’t asked him down here today, and there’s… a feeling in the air. Like something’s about to happen. I think he’s far more likely to be found at the Hanged Man, or walking around Hightown.”

“It’s Tuesday.” Varric stood up, putting the crossbow on his back. “Something always happens on a Tuesday.”

“That could be it,” Anders agreed. “Tuesdays are always a nuisance around the city. You’d think people would learn to stay indoors and stay calm one day of the week. I’m ready to go too, if you want another hand.”

Donna sat up finally, watching Anders carefully slip the filled bottles into a satchel. “What are those, then?”

“In case.” Anders gave her a half-smile. 

“Don’t you have a clinic to run?” The Doctor was near the door. Donna got up and headed toward him.

“I changed my mind.” Anders hesitated, looking around the clinic. 

“Blondie…” There was something in Varric’s eyes that Donna couldn’t read at all. Not that it was a huge surprise; she’d only just met him. There was silence again, heavy and beyond her understanding. 

Anders took his staff, strapping it on, before closing a book on the sideboard. He looked over the clinic again. Something made it feel sad and Donna looked over at the Doctor. His expression was solemn. There was no amusement, no impatience, nothing light. 

“It’s all right, Varric. I’m sure I left the pillow at Hawke’s.” His voice was calm even though his face didn’t look it. Anders ushered them out of the clinic and stood on his tiptoes, gently blowing out the lantern. The doors got locked behind them. “See? No line. Maybe for once people checked the calendar.”

They exited Darktown in silence. Donna felt for the first time that they were in the way. She didn’t like that feeling, but didn’t know what to do about it. When they got to the Hanged Man the Doctor nodded to them both. “Thank you. We’ll look for Hawke. You don’t have to stay with us.”

Varric and Anders shared a look. Anders shrugged. Varric frowned before nodding. “We’ll see you later, I’m sure,” Varric said.

“Could be,” the Doctor replied cheerfully. His hands were in his pockets and he was giving off every outward sign of a man who didn’t have a care in the world. Donna knew different. 

For a moment it looked like Varric was going to say something about that, but then he shrugged as well. “Let’s find your pillow, Blondie.” His voice was gentle, quite at odds with anything Donna had expected of him, and they headed off.

As soon as they were out of sight Donna looked at the Doctor. “Pillow? Vial? What’s going on there?”

“I thought we had a few days, but now… Well, the date’s always been vague in the retellings. Things began years ago, seven, some might say, but I think today is when they explode.”

“That was informative.” Donna didn’t really expect the Doctor to explain everything, but she asked anyway. One day his reply would be helpful, she was certain.

“This way.” The Doctor started to walk, and he kept his voice low as he began talking. “You heard Anders yesterday. Mages sequestered. That’s… putting it mildly, and it’s rare for him to put it mildly. They’re being killed and worse right now, especially here.”

“What’s worse?” She matched his volume.

“Essentially what was done to the Ood. But mages have nothing really left, after. They follow orders and that’s it. No desires, no passions, nothing what made them who they were. So there’s that. The Veil’s also thinner here, something they don’t know, yet. The Empire that used to rule this area weakened it. On purpose. Which means more demons, more demon possession… There’s no time to explain the Veil more, right now. We need the key, because sometime this evening the story gets very vague and Hawke could leave the city, to go no one knows where.”

“Very vague? How vague is very vague? You’ve never not known history before.”

The Doctor shook his head. “Universes… they branch, sometimes. Like the one where Rose’s father was alive. I told you about that.”

Donna nodded.

“This is a branching. A big one. Half a dozen different ways it could go, and I don’t know what one we’ll be left in. Normally you don’t know when a branching is happening, it just does. Little things change, medium things… But when the big ones come by, then the stories get muddled.”

“So we need Hawke, soon.”

“We need Hawke, soon.” They were entering Hightown now. There were a lot of people talking, gathered in areas, and the whole atmosphere was one that was waiting, tense. “Quickly. The Hawke estate. We have to catch him there.”

“Running again?” Donna sighed. “I’m ready.”

“No. Not in this crowd. We’re not going to run. It could be a very bad idea. But we’re also not strolling.” The Doctor took her arm and they walked together, quickly, threading through the crowd.

Armored people marched into view and the Doctor drew Donna back, against a wall. At their head was a tall, stern-looking blonde with eyes of the iciest blue. Donna shivered. “She looks… determined.”

“Very. And I think we’re too late. Hang on.” He looked around the area before shaking his head. “Lowtown. That’s our best chance, and it’s a bad one. But we’ll see things as they happen.”

“What happens if we don’t get the key back? Are we stranded?”

“Not really.” He reached out, taking her hand, and they followed the armored group at a safe distance. “The TARDIS knows us. It’ll take some time, but she’ll open up to us. Better to be seeing the story of the Champion of Kirkwall, though, than standing outside the TARDIS sweet-talking her for hours and hoping more dragons don’t show up.”

“At least he didn’t give the key to Varric.” Donna forced a smile as they walked, trying to seem calm. The fear in the air was almost tangible.

“I hope he didn’t. But I wasn’t going to ask Varric, not and risk him realizing I’d be concerned about him having it. Better for him to think I’m simply missing the key and need it. They may not seem it all of the time, but Hawke’s companions are all sharp in different ways, and together… Well. That’s why they’re so well-known.”

“You seem fond of them.”

The Doctor smiled. “There are some stories out there that are ones you like re-reading, even though you know them by heart. Hawke and his party, they’ve got one of those stories. I knew I’d bring someone to see them one day, but I just couldn’t pick when. Did I want them when they were happier? Did I want to see something serious? Maybe I wanted to see when each met Hawke, but how do I make sure I hit those days exactly? In the end, I decided I’d see them one day. And here we are.”

“Not on purpose.”

“That’s how the best stories go, really.” They arrived in Lowtown to see the stern-faced woman arguing with a tall and older-looking Elf. “Knight Commander Meredith, in charge of the Templars and mages, First Enchanter Orsino, in charge of the mages. He’s not in a good spot.”

“The one in the robes is the mage.”

“Anyone in robes is a mage,” the Doctor confirmed.

They watched in silence as the two argued, as the crowd thinned when things started getting more serious. Soon it was just the armored versus the robed, with the Doctor and Donna taking shelter in a nearby corner. 

The clattering of a group running echoed through the nearly deserted streets, and Hawke, along with all six of his group, showed up. A few city guards had followed, one in particular staying close to Aveline. Meredith in particular seemed unhappy to see Hawke.

“Blood mages again,” Donna whispered.

“Blood mages all the time. They’re an issue. But not… quite as much as Meredith makes it sound.” He held up a hand to stop her from talking more as Meredith admitted she didn’t see another way.

Orsino turned, saying something about getting Grand Cleric Elthinia, and Meredith grabbed him. Then Anders was stepping out, addressing Meredith directly, and Donna found herself getting tense again. She looked over at the Doctor, hearing Anders’ staff hit the ground for emphasis as she did. He nodded toward the scene, directing Donna to keep watching. 

“What…” It was all Donna could say as his skin seemed to crack and his eyes glowed blue. 

“There can be no half-measures,” Anders said, turning, and he looked tired again. So tired. Hawke moved forward, asking what he’d done, and Donna leaned forward, trying to catch the answer. Whatever he said was lost, though, as the ground began to shake. The area was suddenly illuminated with red light as a bolt shot up not too far away. Donna turned, staring, watching with everyone else as one of the tallest buildings exploded. Debris rained down on the group, fire and ash and pieces.

When the others resumed talking, Donna turned, silent and shaken. Everything seemed too much, too fast, and she searched the Doctor’s face for solace. 

He leaned forward, voice low. “When you cage a group of people, when you systematically strip them of their rights and treat them like they’re all going to destroy you, when you beat them, abuse them, slaughter them, and give them nothing, you wind up with a group of people with nothing to lose. One will always rise up and speak against. And if no one listens, then that someone will act. This is humanity. This is where mages have drawn the line.”

“But she’s just said she’s going to kill them all.” Donna gestured to Meredith. “Isn’t this worse?”

The Doctor was silent for a moment, even as both factions appealed to the Champion for help. “Yes, and no. They were likely dead already. Annulment takes approval from the Divine, something Meredith had to have written for beforehand. This means that this time, though, instead of being taken by surprise and slaughtered as other Circles were before, the mages here are going to fight back.”

“The people in that building. The …They said the Grand Cleric?”

He nodded. “Possibly as few as a dozen there, this time at night, possibly hundreds. History doesn’t say. Some claim that it was nearly deserted as it normally is when evening falls. Others claim there was a vigil being held by nearly all of the sisters and many civilians, praying for the tension to end. No one knows what’s true.”

“They’re dead. They’re all dead, though. He blew them up.” Donna shook her head. “He killed people who weren’t hurting him.”

“The Chantry perpetuates the belief system that keeps mages caged up. That doesn’t make it justified. But they weren’t really neutral.” 

“I don’t… You seem fine with it. Like it’s the most natural thing in the world, blow up a place for your cause.”

The Doctor gave Donna a tired look. “It’s not fine, murder. And it’s not like it was entirely Anders doing it, but that’s a longer story. I’m all right and not upset because I knew it was coming. And I know all of the history that lead to this.” He sighed, looking back at the discussion. “It’s big, Donna. This is so much bigger than what we’re seeing right here. This is countries. This is where the so-human desire for freedom clashes with the so-human tendency to live in fear, and this is where the world changes. War’s an ugly thing, and so many will die, but in this moment there is change and _potential._ ”

Donna turned back to the scene, trying to process that. 

“We were already doomed. A quick death now or a slow one later; I’d rather die fighting.” Anders was talking to the head magici—mage. Donna watched him, trying to understand. 

“Does he have to choose sides? Hawke, I mean.”

The Doctor nodded. “Sides, what to do with Anders, then other things, depending.”

It was a measure of relief when Hawke sided with the mages. Slaughter was wrong, in Donna’s book, but it was clear it was no relief to Fenris or Aveline. The Doctor, however, gave a little fist-pump of triumph when both chose to stay with Hawke. Then there was yelling about killing and he pulled her back, out of line-of-sight, as lightning and firebolts rained down.

A few moments of combat passed, and he stepped out this time. Orsino was leaving and Donna watched him go. He seemed so dignified and frail at the same time. “Good luck,” she said quietly. The Doctor gave her a sad smile.

There were glances toward Donna and the Doctor from Hawke’s party; the group knew they were there, but seemed to have larger concerns. When Hawke asked Anders to stay with the group, Varric drifted over to the Doctor. 

“Our chances?” He sounded dryly amused. “Or do I not want to know them?”

“What are you on about?” Donna asked. 

“Come on. Throw a Dwarf a bone. There are a half-dozen mentions in history of the Doctor and his blue box, which is outside the city, which I know because I went and found it. And it’s always during something big. I figure that can’t be coincidence.”

“Or no one notices me when nothing’s going on,” the Doctor said, smiling as innocently as possible.

“Or you know about things. You look completely calm. No one else does. Not even Donna. Hell, not even Bl-Anders, and he knew what was coming.” There was frustration in his voice, and Donna remembered his attempts to talk to Anders earlier. She couldn’t blame him for that.

The Doctor sighed. “I couldn’t tell you.”

Varric tilted his head. “I get you the key back, you tell me our chances. I’m a storyteller. I like knowing what’s coming.”

“That’s not right,” Donna protested.

“Varric?” Hawke was looking their way now. “We have mages to save.”

“Of all things,” Fenris muttered.

“No one’s forcing you, you know,” Merrill replied. “You chose to stay.”

“I noticed.” Fenris looked over at Hawke. “It remains to be seen if it was the poorest choice I’ve ever made.”

“Let’s get on with this?” Aveline’s sword was out; there were screams in the distance.

“My key?” the Doctor said. “Hawke? If you would?”

Hawke shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Let’s move.” 

Varric shrugged and rejoined the group. They set off, seven strong, and Donna watched them go. 

“What _are_ their chances?”

“All eight together?”

“Seven. There were seven.”

“Oh, right. Not for long. His sister rejoins them soon, Bethany. Good reunion, cover each other’s backs, lots of hugs. All eight win. And then flee the city.”

“…So we’re going out to sit by the TARDIS for a few hours.”

“Yep.”

Donna shook her head and put her arm through the Doctor’s. “What happens after… it’s good?”

“It’s good. But that’s a whole other story.”


	5. A Pair of Gryphons

“And all of that, stemming from Ostagar.” The Doctor smiled fondly, leaning back.

The fire crackled in front of them, warm but not comforting. Smoke still rose from the city, and Donna was just waiting for spiders to come pouring out of the darkness around them. But the TARDIS wasn’t open yet, so there was little choice.

“ What _was_ wrong with the door?”

“I think…” He trailed off. There were people coming toward them, sounds of boots eventually leading to the sight of dark person-like shapes.

Privately Donna thought people were better than spiders, but considering the chaos in the city she felt just a little wary.

“Hello!” The Doctor didn’t feel her nerves, apparently, standing up.

“Told you.” It was Varric’s voice, exhausted but just a little amused.

“No, you told us that this way we’d find somewhere we could rest for a few minutes,” Aveline said. “This is not a place to rest.”

The group was in sight now, nine of them, all dirty and blood spattered, all looking weary. Most of them were looking at Varric, waiting for an explanation. Donna wasn’t sure she wanted it. 

The Dwarf gestured at the TARDIS. “It moves. It has to. I don’t know how. But it’s here now and it wasn’t here before, and it was at Ostagar too.”

“You want us all to cram into a tiny box?” Anders sounded incredulous.

“Not the worst idea anyone has had today,” Fenris said. Anders looked down, and Donna still hadn’t forgiven him, but that he was silent gave a tiny point in his favor.

“One at a time, maybe,” Isabela said. “Or two. If we want to be very cozy.” She was just as worn out as the others, but she gave the Doctor a wink at that.

“And the others stand here like sitting ducks waiting as their numbers are diminished and knowing that pursuit is coming?” Aveline shook her head. “I don’t want to risk that.”

“I’d go last.” Anders had a determined look on his face.

Merrill fixed him with a stern gaze. “You need to stop doing that, you know. Trying to be a martyr won’t help you or us and we’re all able to decide together instead of waiting for volunteers.”

“I pick him to go last.” Fenris got a Look from Merrill for that.

She opened her mouth to speak but the Doctor broke in. “You can all fit at once. If I do this.”

There was a moment of silence as all of Hawke’s party (and Donnic) looked at the box.

“We’re wasting our time,” Hawke said after a moment. “We need to get moving. Cullen may have assisted, but there will be outcry anyway. There were many Templars loyal to Meredith.”

The woman who had looked so stern, Donna remembered. “She’s dead?”

Fenris looked over at her. “She’s dead, Orsino is dead and deservedly so, the Grand Cleric is dead. We effectively killed the entire leadership structure of an entire city and angered what was left.”

“Well, we have Aveline.” Merrill’s voice was light and the sound of it was welcome, a gentle breeze. 

Donna had only briefly seen Orsino, but to know he was dead too… She looked at the Doctor. “Is it…”

“Always,” he said quietly. “The beginnings of war are always painful and messy. Desperation. Fear. Chaos. All of war is, but it’s those initial losses that stand out the most.”

“Speaking of having me, I think Hawke’s right. We need to move now.” Both Aveline and Donnic’s gazes were directed back at the city.

The Doctor stared at them, internally debating something, by the looks of it. The last time he’d let someone into the TARDIS to escape had been at Mount Vesuvius. This time, they could get out. They could make it, Donna knew, but he cared about this story. The temptation had to be strong. 

He nodded. “I can get you out of here, put you down somewhere safer. But I need the key.”

“It could be worth a try,” Bethany said. “We don’t have much to lose.”

Hawke and Varric shared a look before the Champion nodded. Varric pulled the key out of one of his vest pockets and held it out.

There was clear satisfaction in the Doctor’s eyes when it was back in his hand, and relief. Maybe even strong enough relief that people other than Donna could see it, she thought. The Doctor didn’t stop there, though, quickly opening up the Tardis and stepping inside. More than a few in the group exchanged looks, much to Donna’s amusement. 

“Coming? Donna and I aren’t staying here, so you’re in or you’re out,” the Doctor said from inside.

Isabela was the first to move, shrugging and slipping in, Bethany close on her heels. Anders hesitated while Fenris frowned and stepped in. When there were no irate words from the Elf, Aveline and Donnic sheathed their blades and went in. 

Varric shook his head. “This would have been exciting, this morning. Now…”

“Now we’ll just have to find the excitement again. There’s lots to be found out there, Varric.” Merrill beamed at him and skipped in, stopping just barely inside. “Oh my. It’s much bigger on the inside! Come and look!”

Varric, Hawke, and Donna all looked at Anders. He met Hawke’s gaze. “I’m here,” he said quietly.

“Are you?” The air was heavy between Hawke and Anders.

Donna caught Varric nodding toward the TARDIS. She took a step toward it, catching Anders’ reply as she reached the door. “I am. I’m with you.”

A smile, tired but present, showed up on Varric’s face, vanishing as he looked around at the inside of the TARDIS in shock. 

The Doctor gave them both a smile. “Nearly everyone?” Hawke and Anders came in, and the Doctor nodded. “Close the door behind you, and let’s be off! Where to?”

“…Where to?” Hawke repeated.

“Anywhere in Thedas. Where would you like to go?”

“Not Tevinter.” Fenris’ voice was set on that.

“Antiva! I always enjoyed it there.” Isabela grinned. “And I have some friends there.”

“We wouldn’t last five minutes in Antiva,” Aveline replied. “Denerim might actually be safer, for a time. We met the king, at least.”

“Twice, for some.” Isabela’s grin was wider now.

“Did you know him? He seemed nice.” Merrill was still looking at the walls of the TARDIS’ control room, touching them tentatively.

Isabela looked over at her, measuring. “I can’t tell if that was implying something or not, kitten.”

“Denerim would work for now,” Hawke said, cutting off that line of conversation. “Unless anyone has a better suggestion?”

“I hate to state the obvious, but he blew up the Chantry.” Varric paused. “And that’s the birthplace of Andraste.”

“The crowds should be large enough that we won’t be really noticed, and no one will expect us to get there quickly. Provided this _is_ quick. For all I know, we’re standing in…” Aveline shook her head as she gestured, taking in the whole room. “Something that’s not moving,” she finished.

“It’s not yet, because you haven’t said where,” Donna replied. “He can’t do anything without knowing where, you know.”

“After all I’ve heard of Ferelden, I wouldn’t mind seeing it,” Donnic offered. It was the first time Donna had heard him speak. 

Hawke looked over at Donnic before nodding. “Denerim for now. If it gets too hot, we can hit the road again. Depending on when we get there, we could get a night or two of rest, with news far behind.”

“Denerim it is! Hold on to something.” The Doctor moved around the control room, cheerfully inputting the destination. There were several exchanged glances before people reached for the railing. Several still looked doubtful, something Donna didn’t blame them for. All she could do was hope they landed in the right place, and the right time, this time. The TARDIS made its usual noises, causing all of the people from Thedas to stare with varying levels of concern. She’d give a great deal to know what they were thinking, people who still used lanterns for light and hand-pumps for water. Then the TARDIS lurched, landing. “There!”

Silence greeted his pronouncement. He grinned at them all merrily. “Come on! Come on out and see!” Clearly pleased with himself, the Doctor opened the door and stepped out. Everyone followed.

Aveline was the first to speak. “I’ve seen Denerim. That’s not it.”

“It’s Antiva City,” Isabela said.

“Oops,” said the Doctor.

“…I suppose this explains why you were confused about when and where you were when we met you,” Hawke said. His smile was faint but slowly growing.

“Years, places, they’re all relative.” The Doctor shrugged. “We can try again?”

“One trip in that thing is enough, I think,” Fenris replied. 

“We helped an Antivan Crow,” Merrill added. “Maybe he’ll help us back? If he shows up again? He seemed very nice. And Isabela knew him too.”

“Kitten…”

“Oh, that time it was on purpose.” Merrill smiled, her eyes sparkling. “I remembered him asking how anyone knows you.”

Varric snorted, and even Anders was fighting a small smile.

“Great. And now you’ve corrupted her. I hope you’re happy.” Aveline didn’t look annoyed, though she did roll her eyes.

“I helped, you know,” Varric said.

“I think all of us had a hand in it,” Anders added quietly.

“So this will work?” The Doctor looked at the group. 

Hawke was doing the same thing, evaluating. He nodded. “This will work. I don’t know how this… moved us, but thank you. We’ve got to be ahead of news and rumor by a few days; it gives us time we needed.”

“Good,” the Doctor said. “Then Donna and I will be off. Wouldn’t want to interfere in your further adventures, after all.”

“Adventures,” Donnic echoed, shaking his head. Aveline smiled warmly at him and took his hand. He smiled back, not as confidently, but with clear affection, and Donna found herself smiling too.

“As long as there aren’t any gryphons,” Hawke said. “Let’s move.”

“I dunno, Hawke,” Varric said as the group headed down the hill to the city. “I think I could add a few in. Maybe we got here by gryphon-back.” He looked back at the TARDIS and then fully turned, coming back. His voice was quiet when he spoke. “Will I see you again?”

Donna and the Doctor exchanged looks, and the Doctor shrugged. “Well, I’d say if I could, but I can’t. I might pop back in sometime. And now you know what she sounds like.” He tilted his head to indicate the TARDIS.

“So keep an ear open,” Varric replied. “Understood. Until then, Doctor, Donna.” He smiled and caught back up to the group, who had paused mid-way down the hill.

Donna watched them go. “Do you see them again?” she asked, just as quiet as Varric had.

“As a group? Nah. They start to split up not too long from now. It’s too dangerous, being together. But I see him again, several times. The first time I saw him he was passing away, but he knew me, and he was glad to see me.” The Doctor was silent for a time. “For him, I see him several more times. For me, this was the last.”

They watched the group head into the city. Finally the Doctor turned to Donna, smiling again. “He names the gryphons after us in the story, you know. They flew on the back of two gryphons to Antiva, Doctor and Donna.”

“So you knew we would end up here.”

“I knew. It wasn’t even a mistake with the TARDIS. I wasn’t about to change their history. So!” He clapped his hands together. “Coronation! 1937! Who’s ready to see this? I am. Are you?” The Doctor offered his arm and Donna took it, walking back into the TARDIS with him.


End file.
